John 21:1-14

 (1) The emotion of this appearance was very different than the earlier one.

v.4b Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

21:7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

v.12b But none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord.

Why did the disciple whom Jesus loved not say anything to others or to Jesus when he recognized Jesus?  Why did the rest disciples not say anything when they knew it was the Lord?

(2) The repeating of the earlier incidents

a. 21:5 So Jesus said to them, “Children, you don’t have any fish, do you?” They replied, “No.” 21:6 He told them, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they threw the net, and were not able to pull it in because of the large number of fish.

Disciples went out to fish all night, but did not find anything. Once the Lord told them where to fish then they got a big catch. This is similar to what they (Peter, James, and John) first met Jesus (Luke 5:1-11). 

b. 21:9 When they got out on the beach, they saw a charcoal fire ready with a fish placed on it, and bread.

21:13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.

This is similar to the 5 loaves and 2 fish. Jesus gave to the disciples and they gave them to the people (John 6:1-14, Matthew 14:19). 

Perhaps it was these similarities John and all the disciples recognized Who Jesus was. However, why were they so quiet?

(3) The last similarities was the charcoal of fire. 

21:9 When they got out on the beach, they saw a charcoal fire ready

The same greek word was only used twice in the whole Bible. Once here and the other in 

John 18:18 (Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire they had made, warming themselves because it was cold. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.)

Perhaps Peter also remembered how he betrayed Jesus when he saw the charcoal fire. The guilty feel came to Peter and made him quiet. They might feel the difference and thus keep quiet. 

Reflection: Have we done something to God that we feel sorry about? I did. What I said makes people feel bad about coming to church. My shortcomings in promoting an event less "successful." What I said to the children in Sunday school is unkind, etc. 

Of course, similar incidents also serve other purposes. We will see that in tomorrow's passage. 

Audrey